New Hawker Typhoon release marks exciting project

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Michael.Clegg5 days ago

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Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

Our update subject for this latest edition really is something just that little bit special, not just in the world of scale modelling, but also in the wider world of historic aviation. The latest release from our ever popular 1/72nd scale Hawker Typhoon tooling, this new kit not only pays scale homage to one of the most devastatingly effective single engined aircraft of the Second World War, but it also draws attention to the work being undertaken by a group of people who are determined to see a Hawker Typhoon returning to Britain’s skies once more. Not only will this allow the nation to marvel at the power and majesty of this mighty aeroplane, but it will also serve as a fitting, living tribute to the wartime contribution of the pilots who flew the aircraft in combat, operational flying at its most demanding and dangerous.

Adopting our usual format, we will be taking a short overview of the development history of the Hawker Typhoon, including uncovering a few facts which really are quite startling, and may not be common knowledge to the majority of Workbench readers. We will then move on to feature the two new scheme options which are included with this new release, and because we know you love to see them, showcasing the new box artwork in all its forms, both branded and in its original format. We will also be providing all the relevant contact details for the Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group, for those readers who would like to keep a tab on this exciting project, and for those in a position to lend their support to their efforts.

We’re on ‘Typhoon Warning’ this weekend, as we welcome an exciting new kit addition to the current Airfix range.

Sydney Camm’s ‘Super Hurricane’ search

The Typhoon was Hawker’s attempt to provide the RAF with a powerful new interceptor fighter, one they referred to as their ‘Super Hurricane’.

Just prior to the start of the Second World War, it’s difficult to think of a British aircraft manufacturer which could claim to have had more influence than Hawker Aircraft Limited. With a string of successful biplane designs to their name which all saw service with the Royal Air Force, it’s fascinating to recognise that at one period during the 1930s, over 80% of all front-line aircraft which equipped the RAF at that time were Hawker designs. This success was further continued with the introduction of the Hawker Hurricane, an aircraft which could claim to be the first RAF aircraft to exceed 300 mph and the first eight-gun monoplane fighter to enter Royal Air Force service.

As we all know, the Hurricane would join its fighting hangar mate the Spitfire in defending Britain from Luftwaffe attack during the Battle of Britain and was even credited with bringing down more German aircraft during the Battle than all of Britain’s other defences combined, including the much-vaunted Spitfire. Even before the Hurricane had earned these impressive accolades, its intended successor had already taken to the skies.

Even before the Hurricane had entered full scale production, Hawker’s Chief Designer Sydney Camm was working on a project which was referred to internally as the ‘Super Hurricane’, a powerful interceptor fighter which was intended to be equipped with twelve machine guns, whilst also incorporating all the very latest aeronautical technology available at that time. The aircraft was to be powered by the Napier Sabre engine, a mighty powerplant which was something of an industry revelation and a groundbreaking unit which never really received the accolades it undoubtedly deserves.

The Sabre was an H-shaped 24-cylinder beast of an aero engine which was essentially four connected 6-cylinder engines utilising two crankshafts and a clever combined gearing system, all of which yielded an incredible 2200hp, or at least that’s what they were happy to tell people back then. In comparison, the Merlin engines which were powering the Spitfires and Hurricanes at that time were capable of producing less than half that power output, so when the new Hawker Typhoon took to the sky for the first time in February 1940, it was an impressive 100 mph faster than the aircraft currently in service with Fighter Command.

Unfortunately, this is where the story of the Typhoon takes something of an unfortunate turn. With performance like this, Britain’s Air Ministry were confident that they had a war winning aeroplane on their hands, however, the war was at such a critical stage that their need was for fighter aircraft now, so priority was given to the production of existing types, which for Hawkers meant more Hurricanes.

At the same time, whilst development continued on the Typhoon, the highly advanced nature of its design and the technology it utilised resulted in a problematic period for the new aircraft and a number of unexplained accidents. It does have to be conceded that the Typhoon was no ordinary aeroplane – this was not simply an evolutionary development of existing single engined fighter technology, the Typhoon represented a significant leap forward in capability. As the RAFs first 400 mph capable aircraft, this was an airborne beast of an aeroplane that needed taming, and the Typhoon was proving extremely hard to break.

We love it when these review features allow us to re-purpose spectacular box artwork once again. This image illustrates the low altitudes at which Typhoon attacks ended and may also go some way to explaining why so many of these aircraft sustained flak and shrapnel damage.

Eventually entering Royal Air Force service in September 1941, the stellar performance of the Typhoon actually resulted in the aircraft being rushed into service somewhat and before some of the worrying handling characteristics the aircraft was exhibiting had been fully ironed out. Needed as something of a Spitfire saviour at the time, the previous month saw the Luftwaffe introduce the Focke Wulf Fw190, a fighter aircraft which came as a nasty surprise for the RAF and saw a period where Spitfires began falling to the guns of this fearsome new fighter in worryingly large numbers.

With the Focke Wulf quickly dominating the skies of Northern Europe, the Luftwaffe began mounting intruder raids into southern England, but rather than meeting the expected Spitfires, they were challenged by a new British fighter which was even more devastating than it was – the Hawker Typhoon. The Typhoon was easily capable of catching and shooting down the new Luftwaffe fighter, but just as its victory tally started to increase, so did the number of unexplained and often fatal accidents involving the aircraft. The rushed introduction of the aircraft did the Typhoon absolutely no favours whatsoever, and despite its unquestioned potential, the situation could hardly be more serious.

With several of the first aircraft in service being involved in fatal accidents, accidents which could not be explained due to the loss of the pilots involved, there were discussions held at the very highest levels where the withdrawal of the aircraft was seriously considered. Had it not been for the intervention of some very senior pilots and flight commanders, that may very well have been the end for the Typhoon, but thankfully, their defence of the aircraft was robust. At the head of this group, Roland Beamont was the senior experimental test pilot who steered the Typhoon through its test flying programme, and he vehemently defended the aircraft. He informed his superiors that the aircraft was a war winner and if they supported his efforts in overcoming the issues it was currently enduring, he would present them with a devastatingly effective aircraft.

Going back to fly with operational Typhoon units, Beamont helped rectify the problems a rushed introduction had created, and was instrumental in unlocking the potential of the aircraft. Not only did he demonstrate the unrivalled ground attack capabilities of the Typhoon, but he also helped to develop the Typhoons use as a close air support aircraft, a role which proved crucial to the success of D-Day and one which is still of vital importance to military operations to this day.

The Typhoon is given rocket power

A pair of Hawker Typhoons off to terrorise Wehrmacht armour once again.

In the lead up to D-Day, the RAF’s Typhoon squadrons came into their own, mounting dangerous, but highly effective ground attack strike missions into enemy occupied Europe, armed with either two 500lb or two 1000lb bombs, in addition to their four 20mm Hispano cannon. A further offensive capability development took place in September 1943, when the Typhoon was equipped with the ability to carry six, eight, or even twelve 3-inch RP-3 unguided air to ground rocket projectiles. These fearsome weapons each featured a 60lb semi-armour piercing high-explosive warhead, which could make short work of any kind of vehicle, even tanks and would earn the Typhoon a reputation which endures to this day.

Earning a fearsome reputation during the summer of 1944, the RAF's Typhoon squadrons were intentionally positioned at bases around southern England, and on days which allowed flight operations to take place, Wehrmacht units knew the sky would soon be full of these heavily armed fighter bombers, with Typhoons raining a constant stream of bombs, rocket projectiles and machine gun fire on their positions, and those troops attempting to reinforce them.

Any military vehicle caught in the open during daylight hours was at risk of destruction if it attracted the attention of the marauding Typhoons and there were even reports of some German tank crews actually abandoning their machines and running for cover during the battles which raged across Normandy. If they spotted Typhoons in the clear skies above them, they clearly didn’t fancy becoming the latest victims of the RAF's murderous Typhoon squadrons.

This built Typhoon has been finished using the scheme option available with the current Airfix Club kit for 2024.

Research conducted after the war appeared to indicate that actual success rates of RAF Typhoon rocket attacks weren't actually all that impressive, however, the psychological impact the Hawker Typhoon possessed appeared to be much more effective on German ground units than the actual damage caused. Nevertheless, RAF Typhoon operations kept German forces pinned down in the weeks following D-Day and prevented any concerted and coordinated large scale German military response to the invasion from taking place, allowing the beachheads to be consolidated and supply lines to become established.

Considered one of the most important aircraft of the D-Day period and indeed the final eighteen months of the war in Europe, the fearsome Hawker Typhoon was used to great effect during this time, either attacking strategic targets in the weeks prior to invasion, such as German radar sites, or providing invaluable close air support to ground units breaking out from the landing beachheads. Fast, agile and heavily armed, forward air controllers were embedded with ground units throughout the Normandy region, with RAF Typhoons ready to respond to any request for aerial support. Aircraft not already engaged in strike missions would be holding at 10,000 ft in their so called 'Cab Ranks' off the coast of Northern France, just waiting to be called into action.

These support missions were incredibly hazardous for Typhoon pilots, not so much down to the attention of Luftwaffe fighters, but from the murderous anti-aircraft fire hurled in their direction from seemingly every German gun in the Normandy, not to mention the many ground hazards they faced when flying at these low altitudes. Research initiated after the end of the war highlighted that in the weeks following the D-Day landings, more than 500 Hawker Typhoons had been lost, but of this number, less than 10 percent were attributed to enemy fighter activity.

Flying at high speed and extremely low altitudes, Typhoon pilots were of the opinion that no pilot could claim to have experienced real combat flying until they had spent time on a Typhoon unit – who are we to disagree with them.

This aviation brute makes for an irresistible modelling project

The latest Hawker Typhoon box artwork in all its glory, this particular aircraft is receiving some restoration TLC at the moment and in the future, may well become the most significant historic aircraft of the past few decades.

There are probably very few people who would disagree that the Hawker Typhoon is a hugely impressive aeroplane and as such, undoubtedly makes for a modelling project which is possibly without equal. The original Airfix 1/72nd scale kit proved to be a perennial favourite with modellers, appearing for the first time back in the late 1950s and since that date, proving to be a best seller in any kit range in which it appeared. This kit’s incredible popularity made it a strong candidate for update to contemporary standards, a project which finally got underway in 2012, for range release the following year. It’s fair to say that this new model only continued the popularity success of its predecessor.

The following year, modelling fans of the Typhoon could hardly believe their good fortune, when Airfix introduced a kit which was truly on another level, a spectacular 1/24th scale kit of the aircraft. Incorporating incredible levels of detail, this impressive kit really did allow for a more effective representation of an aircraft which was all about rugged power and brute strength, a kit which demands our attention whenever you see a built example of one. Regarded as something of a modelling right of passage within the hobby, our 1/24th scale Typhoon is a build project modellers use to showcase their skills and capabilities, and as such, is a regular sight at the many model shows which take place up and down the country. This large scale Hawker Typhoon is regarded as one of the finest model kits in our hobby, and serves as a fitting modelling tribute to the brave men who took these mighty aircraft into combat during the Second World War.
  
This latest Typhoon addition to the Airfix range sees our 1/72nd scale tooling utilized once more, and includes two absolutely irresistible scheme options for our delectation, but how on earth we’re going to be able to choose between them is anybody’s business.

The details relating to each option are as follows:

Scheme A – Hawker Typhoon Mk.IB RB396/XP-W, Pilot Officer Frank Johnson (RCAF), RAF No.174 Squadron, Goch Airfield (B.100), Germany, March 1945.

By the eve of D-Day, the Allies 2nd Tactical Air Force could call upon the services of no fewer than fifteen Typhoon squadrons, and even though the aircraft presented here was only produced towards the end of that year, it would be charged with continuing the ground attack/support work this exceptional aircraft now had an unrivalled reputation for providing. Thanks to the efforts of the Typhoon Preservation Group, Typhoon RB396 may just become the most famous of all the 3,300 Typhoons built and arguably, the most significant historic aircraft in the world.

Hawker Typhoon IB RB396 was manufactured by the Gloster Aircraft Company towards the end of 1944 and delivered to RAF No.174 Squadron at Volkel Air Base (Coded B.80 by the Allies) in the Netherlands by a Polish ATA pilot. It’s thought that the aircraft was delivered as a replacement for those lost during the surprise Luftwaffe Operation Bodenplatte attack on New Year’s Day 1945, an audacious attempt to wrestle air superiority over the Low Countries back from the Allies, a day which brought about the destruction of hundreds of Allied aircraft.

Once with No.174 Squadron, this Typhoon would be extremely active through to the end of the Second World War, but because of the nature of Typhoon ground support flying, the period would not pass without incident. The usual pilot of RB396 was Canadian airman Pilot Officer Frank Johnson, who was allowed to (or just decided to do it anyway) have the name of his girlfriend ‘Sheila’ painted on the front portside cowling of the aircraft, giving this aircraft real individuality.

As the Allies continued to push the Germans back towards their homeland, so No.174 Squadron were required to relocate closer to the front lines, moving to Goch Airfield (B.100) on the Dutch-German border, but continuing to fly their vital, yet extremely dangerous close air support missions.

On 28th March 1945, Frank Johnson flew the aircraft on a support mission in the morning, but handed it over to another pilot for the afternoon sortie. That pilot was Sidney Russell-Smith, a man who looked so fresh of face that everyone on the squadron simply referred to him as ‘Junior’. During that afternoon mission, the aircraft was struck by flak, with the damage being severe enough that once the aircraft landed back at Goch, it was immediately placed in one of the hangars, so repairs could be made. 

This was not an isolated incident for Typhoon RB396, because during a relatively short three month combat flying career, the aircraft sustained flak damage serious enough to warrant repair on no fewer than eighteen occasions. 

Full scheme details for an aircraft which is about to attract plenty of attention over the coming years.

With the aircraft still undergoing repairs, Frank Johnson’s usual mount was unavailable for the mission which took place on 30th March, forcing him to fly a different Typhoon. Unfortunately, during that sortie, Johnson’s borrowed aircraft was hit by flak, with the damage being severe enough to require him to force land in a suitable field – although he would not be forced to endure it for long, he spent the final few days of the Second World War as a guest of the Germans.

With the repair work now completed and Typhoon RB396 back on the line, she was flown by Flt Lt Chris House on 1st April 1945, when the squadron was sent to attack targets near the town of Lingen, in Lower Saxony. As this aircraft was gaining a reputation as something of a flak magnet, it will probably come as no surprise to learn that she was hit once again during this sortie, with the damage being so severe that the pilot had to immediately put the aircraft down in a field in German occupied territory near Denekamp, in Holland. 

Although pilot Chris House was feared by his squadron mates to have been captured at best, he would turn up back at his unit three days later, having borrowed a bicycle from a farmer and made his way back to Goch to continue the fight. Hawker Typhoon RB396 was clearly not that fortunate and to borrow (and paraphrase) a line from a famous war film, for her, the war was over! 

Following the end of the war, the wreckage of RB396 was recovered for scrap, with ownership passing through the hands of various people, before the rear fuselage section was rescued and ended up on display in a small museum in the Netherlands. In 2012, his section was spotted by an aviation enthusiast and collector, purchased, and brought back to the UK to form part of a growing collection of Typhoon parts. This collector made the acquaintance of the now Typhoon Preservation Group project director a few years later, and the idea of potentially restoring a Typhoon to airworthy condition began from there.

Immortalised Airfix style, we hope our friends at the Typhoon Preservation Group will be pleased with this latest Typhoon kit box presentation.

The collection of parts was extensive, and importantly included approximately 9,500 Typhoon drawings, not a complete set, but certainly a significant amount of information. Visits and meetings with restoration experts and companies all over the country were also carried out, with the culmination of these discussions all being rather positive. With the information they had, and the parts held in the collection, the only thing holding them back was funding, but unfortunately, that was going to be a massive hurdle.

This project is now well underway, and we are currently looking forward to seeing a completely rebuilt rear fuselage section of RB396 serving as a significant stimulus to this exciting project. The project team are determined to produce a unique, airworthy tribute to the men and women who designed tested, maintained and flew these magnificent aircraft and to pay respect to airmen who flew them on some of the most dangerous missions any pilot could ever be asked to fly. If they’re successful, this will arguably be the most significant development to benefit the world of historic aviation in many a decade.

If you would like to learn more about this Hawker Typhoon project and to offer any support you could give them, please visit the Typhoon Preservation Group website. We would also like to thank them for their help in putting this section of the blog together.

Scheme B – Hawker Typhoon Mk.IB PD521/JB II, Wing Commander John Robert Baldwin, No.146 Wing, Deurne (Antwerp), RAF Base (B.70), October 1944.

In the weeks following the D-Day landings, on days when the weather was good enough to allow flying operations to take place, RAF Typhoons provided close air support for the advancing Allied ground forces, effectively keeping German forces pinned down, preventing enemy armour from advancing across open country to reinforce combat hotspots during daylight hours. If any tanks were foolish enough to emerge from the cover of the trees and buildings which had been shielding them, they were immediately pounced upon by eagle-eyed Typhoon pilots, who had become adept in attacking such targets at extremely low altitudes and at high speed. 

Although the unguided air to ground rockets the aircraft fired were not actually as effective in operation as the history books might suggest, the sheer number of aircraft in the air at any one time and the destructive potential they possessed, effectively ensured that German armour proved far less effective than it might have been during the savage fighting in Normandy. Their operations also had a dramatic impact on the moral of German fighting troops in Normandy.

Born on the Isle of Wight in July 1918, John Robert Baldwin would go on to join the RAF Volunteer Reserve at the outbreak of the Second World War and would serve as ground crew during the Air Component of the British Expeditionary Force’s operations during the Battle of France. He would later volunteer to train as a pilot, being commissioned in 1942, and on successfully gaining his wings, was posted to RAF No.609 Squadron in November the same year, where he would fly the mighty Hawker Typhoon, an aircraft with which he would become inextricably linked. 

By the beginning of 1944, Baldwin was already a Typhoon ‘Ace’ pilot, but was now fully engaged in flying strike missions in preparation for D-Day. The need to keep the massive Allied seaborne armada amassing in southern English ports secret from the Germans required all enemy radar stations along the coast of Northern France to be destroyed, along with the strategic ‘softening up’ of targets across a vast area of the continent. 

The markings of an ace. Wing Commander John Robert Baldwin would end the war as the highest-scoring Hawker Typhoon ‘Ace’, with 15 confirmed victories, 1 shared and 4 probables to his name – the best of the best.

These targets were often heavily defended by flak batteries and Typhoon operations at low level were some of the most perilous any Allied pilot would be asked to undertake. Indeed, all Typhoon pilots shared the opinion that you couldn’t truly call yourself a combat pilot unless you had spent time flying operationally with a Typhoon unit. The Typhoons based at Needs Oar Point in Hampshire were heavily involved in these D-Day support operations, but as the Allies secured their beachheads and pushed into enemy occupied Europe, the vital support offered by Typhoon units saw them moving with them, operating from bases formerly home to Luftwaffe squadrons.

By the end of his tour of duty in April 1944, Baldwin had amassed at least 13 aerial victories, having flown an incredible number of missions in his trusty Typhoon. He would return to operational flying after taking a short period of recuperation, having also been promoted to the position of Wing Commander RAF No.146 Wing. He would once again be flying Hawker Typhoons and again embarked on a punishing schedule of flight operations, this time in support of the Allied ground advances through France and missions against V-1 Doodlebug sites. 

Leading the entire Wing on at least sixteen occasions, Baldwin’s logbook shows at least 110 sorties flown in support of these missions, with other official records suggesting that figure should be closer to 170, as this Wing Commander was determined to lead his men from the front, as they flew these extremely perilous missions. Baldwin’s reputation was such that he was assigned at least two different Typhoons at the same time, each configured for different strike missions. 

One of the aircraft was equipped with bombs, whilst the one he referred to as ‘JBII’ was fitted with the 3-inch RP-3 unguided air to ground rocket projectiles RAF Hawker Typhoons became so famous for using. One famous wartime picture shows two of Baldwin’s Typhoons parked next to each other at their home airfield on the continent, the sight of which makes for a fascinating record of this ace pilot’s wartime contribution. 

John Robert Baldwin would end the war as the highest-scoring Hawker Typhoon ‘Ace’, with 15 confirmed victories, 1 shared and 4 probables to his name – the best of the best.

We simply couldn’t end this review without including an exclusive look at the full graphic artwork presentation for this fantastic new addition to the current Airfix range.

We always like to think that the stories behind the models we feature not only help to give these models a personality and individuality all of their own, but also serve to mark and preserve history in a physical and tactile manner. If stories linked to model releases appeal to you, then we’ve really excelled ourselves this time and we have absolutely no idea how you’re going to choose one above the other when it comes to your latest 1/72nd scale Hawker Typhoon build. 
  
Hawker Typhoon A02041B is available now.

We are afraid that's all we have for you in this latest edition, but we will be back next Friday with more project development updates and the very latest Airfix kit exclusives. In the meantime, we are always keen to hear your views on all things Airfix and in particular, any thoughts and opinions you may have regarding our Workbench blog. If you would like to drop us a quick line, could we please ask that you use our workbench@airfix.com email for all correspondence. 

To re-visit any of the Airfix blogs we have produced over the past seven years or so, please head to our main Workbench hub, where you will find our entire blog back catalogue and all the Airfix design projects we have already covered.